It is hard to know if it is an April Fools Day prank but Samoa Air has announced a new fare calculation based on passengers weight.

The airline’s Chief Executive, Chris Langton, told Radio Australia this week that the policy is proving successful.The airline began flying in 2012 and introduced the pricing policy in January, 2013.

I tried it out booking a fare from Pago Pago, the main city of American Samoa to Asau which is situated on the north west coast of Savai’i island in Samoa. The total for the fare was 380 Tala for the sector (166.82USD) based on me being 85kg and my baggage being 15kg with a fare cost of 3.80 Tala per kilogram for that sector. If I was my slim self from a couple of years back at 75kg and I carried no luggage then my fare would be 80 Tala less.

The weights are checked at check in. This means if I lie as a customer, I will be caught! If I gain 10kg by my flight I assume I would Pay 38 Tala more but what happens If I lost 10 kg, would I be entitled to a refund or credit?

And In case you are still skeptical over in Twitter land:
Craig Platt @FairfaxTravel
Lot of folks suspicious about Samoa Air’s ‘pay what you weigh’ fares. I asked them directly if this was an April Fools joke. They said no.